Clip or fastener



Dec. 24, 1929. w. H. scHAEr-'l-:R ET AL CLIP OR FASTENER Filed March 19,1928 NVENTOR BY wtf n ATTORNEY WITNESS; @rg

Patented Dec. 24, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM H. SCHAEFER,0F GREAT NECK, AND GUSTAV ECKERT, OF BRONX, NEW YORK ACLIP OR FASTENERApplication led March 19, 1928.

This invention relates to improvements in clips or fasteners forsecuring the bendable flap of a cardboard box in closed position.

The primary object of the invention resides in a clip or fastener forthe attachment to the operable flap of a cardboard box after the samehas been initially opened by the usual cutting operation of one of theend walls, to temporarily hold the flap in closed position when not inuse to preserve the contents of the box and prevent accidental spill ingthereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a clip for retaining thehinged flap or lid of a cardboard box or carton in a closed position,and which includes two sets of clamping jaws respectively disposed atright angle with respect to each other, one set serving to receive theflap to support the clip thereon while the other set of jaws willautomatically ride down overl the edge of one of the side walls uponclosing of the flap, for clamping engagement therewith to hold the flapin a closed position.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a clip of theabove kind which is constructed of a single piece of resilient metalbent to provide two sets of right angularly disposed jaws, which makesthe article simple of construction, and accordingly inexpensive ofmanufacture.

lith these and other objects in view, the invention resides in certainnovel construction and combination and arrangement of parts, theessential features of which are hereinafter fully described, areparticularly pointed, out in the appended claims, and are illustrated inthe accompanying drawing, in which z- Figure 1 is a fragmentaryperspective view of a carton or box with the openable flap or lid in araised position with our improved clip in position thereof.

Figure 2 is a similar view with the flap in a closed position.

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical transverse sectional view on the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the clip per se.

Referring to the drawing by reference Serial No. 262,697.

characters, the numeral l0 designates our lid fastening clip in itsentirety which is constructed of a single length of bendable resilientwire. The length of wire is bent approximately midway between its endsinto sets of right angularly disposed clamping jaws 11 and 12. Thesejaws are formed by bending the ends of the wire into two separate coils,each having two convolutions which constitute the jaws of each set asthe part to which the jaws are adapted to be clamped are insertedtherebetween.

The jaws 11 and 12 have outwardly flared portions 13 and 111respectively to provide enlarged mouths to facilitate of the easy andfree insertion of the parts to which they clamp. The inner surfaces ofthe jaws of the set 11 are milled or roughened as at 15 to increase thefriction between the same and the lid of a box to which it is adapted pto be attached.

ln the drawing, we have shown our invention as applied to a cardboardbox or carton 16 which may contain any foodstuff or substance as aregenerally placed in packages of 7 this kind and whereof the contents arelikely to be used from time to time before completely empty. This istrue of such food stuffs as breakfast cereals, flour, crackers and thelike, and such other substances as soap flakes, cleaning powder andtherlike.

It is the usual practice to break open one of the ends of the box bycutting about three of the sides and then bending the end back such asshown at 17 in Figure l of the drawing. This end wall may now be termeda swingable or hinged lid which is intended to preserve the contents ofthe box when swung' to a closed position, but the same will not remainfully closed under its own weight. However, by applying the clip 10 tothe lid by inserting the lid between the set of jaws 11 the same willengage opposite sides of the lid and will securely .support the clip inposition. The clip is of course applied when the lid is in an open orpartially open position, whereupon closing of the lid, the set of jaws12 will ride down over opposite sides of one of the side walls of thebox and clamp therewith. The

clamping action between the jaws 12 and the wall of the box is such asto hold the lid in a closed position to preserve the contents of the boxwhen not actually in use, but allows the lid to be easily swung to anopen position when desired. The jaw 12 being provided with an enlargedmouth portion 14, facilitates of the easy movement of the same over theside wall of the box when the cover is moved to a closed position.

Although we have shown and described, a clip made of a single length ofwire -bent into sets of right angularly disposed convolutions whichserve as clamping jaws, it will be appreciated that the device may bemade of flat bendable metal in separate pieces joined together.

While we have described what we deem to be the most desirable embodimentof our invention, it is obvious that many of the details maybe variedwithout in any way departing lfrom the spirit of our invention, and wetherefore do not limit ourselves to the exact details of constructionherein set forth nor to anything less than the whole of ourinventionlimited only by the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is l. A fastener of the character describedcomprising a single length of resilient wire havingits ends bent intotwo separate coils, the axes of which are disposed atgright angles toeach other, the convolutions of the respective coils constitutingclamping jaws.

A lid fastener comprising ya single length of resilient wire having itsends bent into two separate coils, the axes of which are disposed atright angles to each other, the convolutions of the respective coilsconstituting clamping jaws, the outer portions of the convolutions beingflared outwardly to yprovide enlarged mouths for theeasy insertion ofthe jaws over the parts to be held thereby.

In testimony whereof we hereby affix our signatures.

H. SGHAEFER. GUSTAV ,ECKERT-

